With nearly 20 years of experience as a trial lawyer and litigator, Ben Balding practices high-stakes complex commercial litigation and white collar defense. He has an extensive trial and appellate record that includes complex fraud, racketeering, economic sanctions, money laundering, intellectual property, and commercial matters.
Mr. Balding was most recently a supervisory assistant U.S. attorney in the Criminal Division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, where he served as lead or co-lead counsel in eleven trials and argued four appeals before the Ninth Circuit. He was chosen for multiple leadership roles at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including chief of the Complaints Unit and deputy chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section.
Mr. Balding’s notable matters range from securities fraud to national security. He served as co-lead counsel in a 15-day complex securities jury trial that secured a conviction for an activist short seller involved with a multiyear market manipulation scheme, and he obtained guilty verdicts against a CEO and touring company for sanctions evasion in violation of an Office of Foreign Assets Control designation. He also served as co-lead counsel in an eight-week RICO conspiracy trial. Mr. Balding directed a multi-agency task force targeting transnational criminal organizations, and served as lead prosecutor in complex bank fraud and international money laundering cases involving Chinese and Mexican criminal organizations.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Balding was a partner at Meylan Davitt Jain Arevian & Kim, where his practice encompassed a range of civil litigation, including trade secrets and intellectual property. He was also previously an associate at Irell & Manella, where he handled high-stakes securities and commercial litigation.
Experience
As co-lead prosecutor, secured a guilty conviction in a complex securities fraud jury trial charging an activist short seller with a multiyear market manipulation scheme.
Secured guilty verdicts against a CEO and touring company following a two-week jury trial charging economic sanctions evasion violating an Office of Foreign Assets Control designation.
Served as co-lead prosecutor in an eight-week jury trial for RICO conspiracy and murder, resulting in across-the-board convictions against five defendants arising from six MS-13-related killings.
Approved hundreds of investigations for federal prosecution and supervised all pre-indictment steps for a team of approximately 10 attorneys in cases involving health care fraud, cyberstalking, bank fraud, money laundering, firearms and narcotics trafficking, and child exploitation.
Obtained guilty pleas from all defendants in an Export Administration Regulations investigation that dismantled an international weapons trafficking ring and seized hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition, including armor-piercing ammunition destined for a Mexican drug cartel.
Directed a multi-agency task force targeting transnational criminal organizations, overseeing and coordinating with several federal, state, and local investigative agencies.
Served as lead prosecutor in several complex bank fraud conspiracy and international money laundering cases involving Chinese and Mexican criminal organizations.
Secured injunctive relief in a federal trademark dispute, enabling the client to resume commercial operations after its business was halted.
Represented a plaintiff in a 10-defendant patent infringement lawsuit through claim construction and expert depositions.
Secured a favorable recovery on behalf of a major language services provider in a complex trade secrets action.
Defended former CEO in multi-front litigation and criminal investigations alleging fraud and insider trading.
Represented a whistleblower and dozens of municipal plaintiffs in environmental litigation involving contaminated infrastructure.
Defended a large fast-food employer in a national Fair Labor Standards Act collective action.